John W. Barton Sr. Community Leadership Development Program announces class of 2015

Forum 35's John W. Barton Sr. Community Leadership Development Program recently announced its class of 2015. The group of 30 young professionals will be trained in nonprofit governance throughout the duration of the program, which will conclude with a matching session designed to facilitate introductions between program graduates and area nonprofit organizations interested in identifying candidates to serve on their boards of directors, committees and special projects.

2015 Barton Program Participants:

Mindy Beeson, JP Morgan Chase

Quaja Bell, LSU Leisure & Arts Program

Cindy Bishop, Checkmate Strategies

Rudy Comeaux, The Lemoine Company

Courtney Debetaz, Performance
Contractors

Julie Collins Donald, L'Auberge Baton Rouge

Zelma Frederick, McGlinchey Stafford

Ericka Garcia, Our Lady of the Lake
Foundation

Lani Gholston, Corporation for National and
Community Service

Rob Hagan, Next Generation Dealer
Services

James Henry, ProSys

Cathy Juarez, Visit Baton Rouge

Jessica Keasler, Terracon Consultants

Emily Landry, LSU Foundation

Jeremy Meiske, State of Louisiana - Office
of Community Development

Melissa Miley, Miley Law Firm

Leland Moss, The Water Institute of the Gulf

Candace Parker, Exit Realty

Gregory Rockenbaugh, Hannis T. Bourgeois

Jami Smith, L'Auberge Baton Rouge

Meghan Spell, Kean Miller

Matthew Spencer, B.F. Anderson & Company

Blake Tolbird, First National Bankers Bank

Jessica Trepagnier, Jones Walker

Ian Trimble, Blue Cross Blue Shield Louisiana

Katherine Venetsky, City Year

Jeffrey Wale, Louisiana Department of Justice

AJ Walker, Louisiana Municipal Association

Trey Williams, Latter & Blum Commercial Real Estate

Kristin Williamson, Yoga Bliss

Baton Rouge Delta alumnae host "Black Lives Matter" summit

The Baton Rouge Delta Sigma Theta Alumnae Chapter, Planned Parenthood and the Southern University Law Center, will host a "Black Lives Matter" summit on Saturday, Aug. 22, 2015 from 8 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Southern University Law Center's A.A. Lenior Building.

Leaders say the summit will address and discuss issues such as high incarceration rate, black-on-black crime, problematic relationships with law enforcement, disparity in educational opportunities for poverty-stricken areas, funding restraints of Historically Black Colleges and the breakdown of the nuclear family. A lite breakfast, as well as lunch will be served.

CLE credits will be offered to all attorneys that attend. For more information email, Erika L. Green, erika_green327@yahoo.com.

Law enforcement ramping up efforts to catch drunk drivers

State and local law enforcement agencies are ramping up enforcement efforts as part of a national crackdown on drunk driving. The 20-day, high-visibility campaign, Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over, is a partnership with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to curb impaired driving and save lives.

Aug. 21 - Sept. 7 (Labor Day), law enforcement partners nationwide will show zero tolerance for drunk driving, officials said. Increased state and national messaging about the dangers of driving drunk, coupled with checkpoints and increased officers on the road, aim to drastically reduce the toll of drunk driving.

Louisiana's rates of alcohol and drug related fatalities have been higher than the national average and the same holds true for the Capital Region. Between the years of 2012 - 2014, there were 839 alcohol-related crashes in the eight parish region.

Just a reminder, in every state, it's illegal to drive with a BAC of .08 or higher. During the enforcement period starting Aug. 21, there will be a special emphasis on drunk-driving enforcement.

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If you have any appointments, announcements, awards or other business news to share, email news reporter Renita D. Young at ryoung@nola.com. Keep up with all of her local updates on Twitter @RenitaDYoung and on Facebook.